'Memory' by Borges
The windows were mirrors. When he stared out through them, he found his own room stretched at different angles outside. Unlike a mirror, however, he could step inside (which was also outside) through a window.
When he stepped out to one of these imaginary rooms stretched at different angles through the window (which was also a door, a mirror, a reflected door and a reflected mirror), he found that this room too had windows. As he stared outside (which was also inside), he found his own room stretched at different angles outside.
That's when he realized that there was exactly one room. One circular room (which was also spherical, cubical and triangular) constructed such, that all windows would lead to itself.
He closed the windows; thereby eliminating the room forever.
When he stepped out to one of these imaginary rooms stretched at different angles through the window (which was also a door, a mirror, a reflected door and a reflected mirror), he found that this room too had windows. As he stared outside (which was also inside), he found his own room stretched at different angles outside.
That's when he realized that there was exactly one room. One circular room (which was also spherical, cubical and triangular) constructed such, that all windows would lead to itself.
He closed the windows; thereby eliminating the room forever.
Labels: borges, door, eternal return, fiction, flash fiction, India, memory, mirror, philosophy, psychology, room, short story, story, surreal, window
3/08/2008 3:56 AM
This makes me feel a bit unstable, but in a good way. It reminds me of how sometimes at night your windows show a combination of the things outside and inside, so a tree might be growing from your sofa. top